Ukrainian
Sports Club Karpaty
– Toronto, which has been associated with the Ukrainian National
Federation Toronto Branch for a number of years, celebrated its 10th
year anniversary on October 28. This year, special guests arrived
from Ukraine to be part of the festivities – former soccer stars of
Ukraine, most of whom now are coaches for professional teams in
Ukraine. The eight stars included: Serhii Mizin, Vasyl Pavliuk,
Volodymyr Stupar, Volodymyr Kovalyuk, Oleksandr Boiko, Oleksandr
Ishchenko, Vasyl Meserenko, and Volodymyr Sharan.

Two
soccer games were combined with the traditional awards ceremonies,
all held at Centennial Park Stadium in Etobicoke in Toronto’s
west-end. The first game was between the USC
Karpaty
soccer team comprised of boys under 12 years of age and an Allstar
under
12
team trained by Ihor Prokipchuk with the Islington Rangers. The
Allstars took the hard fought game 2-0 with two goals in the second
half.

The
second game ended in a 3-3 tie, with the Toronto Ukrainian Soccer
Allstars (comprised of players from clubs, Halychyna SC, Slavutich
FC, USC
Karpaty,
Ukraina SA, and Ukraina United) vs. the visiting Ukrainian former
soccer stars team.

The
games were followed by the USC Karpaty 10th
Anniversary Banquet at the Taras Shevchenko Community Centre on
Horner Avenue in Etobicoke. The celebration included a wine tasting
of the newly LCBO listed Rosewood Estates Mead
Royale Honey
Wine, a donation with draw prizes sponsored by AV Canada, singing
performances and MC role by the renowned singer/artist from Ukraine
Mykola Sikora, a dinner, an auction for jerseys (FC Dynamo Kyiv and
Ukrainian National Team) and soccer balls signed by the Ukrainian
stars, and Zabava (dance) to round out the eventful evening.

The
anniversary banquet was a successful fundraising event and the USC
Karpaty players were brave being in uniform for the awards ceremonies
at Centennial Park Stadium conducted in the rain, wind, and cold.

The
Ukrainian former stars also held clinics for all USC
Karpaty
team practices during the week leading up to the anniversary
celebration matches.

The
following information is on the Ukrainian former soccer stars:

– Serhii
Mizin - played between 1996 and 2007 as a midfielder for teams like
FC Dynamo Kyiv, Karpaty Lviv, Metalist Kharkiv, Dnipro
Dnipropetrovsk, among others in the Premier League. He scored 90
goals in his career and made 7 appearances for the Ukrainian National
Team;

– Vasyl
Pavliuk - played for Kolos Chernivtsi;

–
Volodymyr
Stupar - his career included playing for SKA Karpaty-Lviv, Kryvbas
Kryvyj Rih, and FC Zirka Kirovohrad;

–
Volodymyr
Kovalyuk - played as a defender and midfielder with Karpaty Lviv,
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, FC Dynamo Kyiv and FC Shakhtar Donetsk, and
now head coach of Enerhetyk Burshtyn in the Ukrainian First League;

– Vasyl
Meserenko - played for Enerhetyk Burshtyn in the Ukrainian First
League;

–
Volodymyr
Sharan - played as a midfielder with FC Dynamo Kyiv in the 1990s
winning three Ukrainian championships and a Ukrainian Cup, played for
the Soviet Union in 1991 in the FIFA World Youth Championship,
managed PFC Oleksandria in the Ukrainian First League, and was a
sports director for Karpaty Lviv.

For
further information, contact Steve Mazur at 647-706-6924 or
stevemazur107@gmail.com
or visit www.uscakcanada.ca